Electric calf weaner



July 8, 1958 MILLER 2,842,099

ELECTRIC CALF WEANER Filed Sept. 13, 1956 Fig.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Lewe/lyn Miller 74 INVENTOR.

July 8, 1958 L. MILLER ELECTRIC CALF WEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Lewe/lynMil/er INVENTOR.

9 BY MM2% Filed Sept. 13, 1956 ELECTRIC CALF WEANER Lewellyn Miller,Limestone, Tenn.

Application September 13, 1956, Serial No. 609,634

4 Claims. (Cl. 119-130) This invention relates to calf weaners and moreparticularly to a calf weaner of the type which shocks the calf in orderto deter the calf from feeding.

The way that a weaner constructed in accordance With the inventionfunctions is: The cow and the calf are both shocked when the calf beginsto suck the cow, but this can only happen when pressure is applied fromthe top by means of the calf putting its head under the cows body at thepoint of the udder and presses the top of the nose against the udder andunder parts of the body of the cow. This is the only position that thecalf ever normally gets into so as to close the circuit and cause theelectrical shock.

This invention involves a weaner that has two points of contact, both ofwhich must be connected before there can be any shock. The animalwearing the weaner wears one point of contact at all times. The otherpoint of contact is the end of the switches when grounded after beingclosed. Only when the prongs are pressed down and provided with a groundpath does the electric shock occur.

It is believed that one of the great improvements of this weaner overother electric weaners is the fact that this one does not shock theanimal when coming in contact with other objects. Only when the animalgets in the position of sucking are the switches pressed down causingthe electric shock. And after the switches are pressed down, they mustbe pressed against something to provide a ground path, which in thiscase is another animal, before there will be an electric shock.

There are two main important new features in this invention: Only bypressure from the top of the weaner can the circuit become closed; andafter being so pressed down, only when the end of switch is providedwith a ground path which is provided by the 'body of the cow it ispressing against, does the electric shock take place.

Another very important function and use of the invention is that theWeaner also serves the purpose of weaning cows which suck themselves.This is a serious problem with dairy herds and the weaner is placed uponthe cow having this habit and the same electrical shock as r in the caseof the calf is had when she attempts to suck herself, her own bodyproviding the ground path.

An object of the present invention is to provide a calf weaner which hasstructural improvements and operational advantages over priorelectrically operative calf weaners.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a calf weanerwhich has a "body adapted to fit over the bridge of the nose of thecalf, this body being of electrical insulating material and having aprintedcircuit thereon, the circuit printing being achieved by any ofthe commonly accepted techniques, as embossing, embedding, etching,spraying, etc., and having provision to accommodate detachable batteriesand an amplifier connected in circuit therewith, the amplifier being oneof the known varieties, for example, a vibrator.

These together with other objects and advantages which United StatesPatent will become subsequently apparent reside in the details ofconstruction and operation as more fully hereinafter described andclaimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a parthereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and inwhich:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a part of a calf showing the weanerconstructed in accordance with the invention mounted operativelythereon;

Figure 2 is a top view of the weaner in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the weaner in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a front view of the weaner in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a schematic View showing the wiring which constitutes a partof the invention; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary exploded perspective View of one manner ofdetachably securing the battery and/or amplifier on the body of theweaner.

In the accompanying drawings there is a calf 10 fragmentarilyillustrated, this calf having a head 12 and other anatomical parts,included with which is the bridge of the nose. Weaner 14, made inaccordance with the in vention to exemplify the principles thereof, hasa body 16 which is curved in longitudinal cross-section and ispreferably in the form of a segment of a cone. In this way, the bodywill fit snugly on the bridge of the nose of the calf. Body 16 is madeof an insulating material, for example, plastic, and has two slots 2%and 22 near the side edges thereof. A strap 24 has two parts 26 and 28,these parts passing respectively through slots and 22. The parts of thestrap are adjustably connected by means of a buckle 30 or an equivalentadjustable fastening device. The opposite ends of the straps areconnected to chain 22 made of metal and adapted to extend around thehead of the calf.

There is an electrical circuit connected with the body 16 and includingvarious circuit components. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, there are threeconductors 36, 33 and which extend longitudinally over the body 16.Conductors 36, 38 and 40 are preferably applied to the body 16 by one ofthe standard electrical printed circuit techniques, for example, bybeing etched, sprayed, embedded, embossed or others. Switches 42, 44 and46 are operatively connected with the body and each includes a switcharm, there being resilient switch arms 48, 50 and 52 respectively.Rivets or like fasteners 54, 56 and 58 are used to attach the inner endof each of the switch arms to the body 16 and to establish electricalcontinuity with the conductor 36. Each switch arm has a loop at itsouter end, for example see Figure 3 wherein there are loops 60, 61 and62 on the group of three switch arms. These loops have angulated ends onwhich there are contacts 63, 64 and 65 respectively, these beingremovable parts of the three switches 42, 44 and 46. The loops on theswitch arms are adapted to come to bear against the cow when the calfattempts to feed, and the force closes one or more of the switches toestablish a closed circuit and cause the calf to be shocked. Theconductor 40 has three stationary contacts 67, 63 and 69 connectedtherewith, these stationary contacts being in the form of rivets or thelike and being connected for electrical conduction to the conductor 40.They are in the path of normal movement of the switch arms 48, 5t) and52, and each of the switch arms is coated or otherwise covered withplastic or some other insulator except one-half to three-fourths inch ofthe ends 49, 51 and 53 of their loops 60, 61 and 62, which contact otheranimals or in the case of a sucking cow herself to provide a contactpoint, so that the cow will not become shocked except at such times asthe shock is desired in the proper functioning of the weaner.

The previously mentioned electrical circuit that includes the threeswitches 42;, 44 and 46 also includes batteries 70 and an amplifier 72,the amplifier being of standard description, for example, a vibrator,spark coil or others. Batteries7l are supported in a battery case 74that has a removable closure 75 at one end and that has a pair of plugprongs 76 and 77 protruding therefrom. These prongs are adapted to beseparably and frictionally held in a pair of openings 73 and 79, thelatter constituting a socket, while the prongs 7n and '77 function as aplug. The socket is connected to the conductors 4d and 38, conductor 3-8being connected with the switches as described previously and theconductor 38being operatively connected to the vibrator. The vibrator 72is also mounted in a case 8d, the latter having a plug connection withthe body to in a manner similar to the plug connection between thebattery case 74 and the body 16. Other types of detachable connection bymeans of electrical sockets and plugs or special connectors may be usedin place of the prongs and sockets illustrated. Conductor also connectsto the vibrator 72, and there is a wire preferably insulated, extendingoperatively from the vibrator 72 to the chain 32 and soldered orotherwise connected therewith.

In use of the weaner, it is applied onto the calf as describedpreviously. After the buckle 30 is used to tighten and fasten the strap24 in place, the weaner is capable of functioning inasmuch as the chain32 connects the caif in circuit with the wcaner. When one or more of theswitches 42, 44 and 46 are closed, an electrical circuit is establishedwhich includes not only the vibrator, battery and Wiring, but also thecalf. Therefore, so long as one of the switches is closed, the calf willbecome shocked due to the repeated inductive electrical energy developedat the vibrator.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A calf weaner comprising a longitudinally curved body adapted to fitover the bridge of the nose of the calf, electrically conductive meansadjustably connected with said body to fit at least in part around thehead of the calf to hold the body on the calf, said body being made ofelectrically insulating material, a switch attached at one end of saidbody, a battery carried by said body, an an: ier carried by said body,an electrical circuit including said battery, amplifier, body holdingmeans and controlled by said switch to shock the calf when in a calfweaner which is adapted tov fit on the cad of a calf, an electricallyinsulating body which is longitudinally curved to fit over the bridge ofthe nose of the calf, means to fasten said body onto the head calf andincluding at least a part which is elecy conductive and which isarranged to contact the it, a battery, a battery case carried by saidbody at end thereof, an electrical conductor extending from 1, id case,a switch operatively connected with said electrical conductor andarranged to be closed only when the calf is in a feeding position and toshock the cow when so closed, a second electrical conductor extendingfrom said switch, an amplifier connected to the last mentioned conductorand disposed at the opposite end? of said body, a third electricalconductor extending from said amplifier to said conductive part of saidfastening means in order to energize said means in response to closingof said switch, said switch including a resilient switch arm connectedat one end to said body, a movable contact carried by saidrcsilientswitch arm, a stationary contact carried by said body andadapted to be touched by said movable contact in response tomovement ofsaid resilient switch arm, and electrically insua lating material on apart of said resilient switch arm.

3. The weancr of claim 2 wherein said resilient switch arm has a bareloop at one end which protrudes beyond' and outwardly from the forwardedge of said body so as to be located in advance of said body to therebycontact the cow when the calf is in the feeding position.

4. The calf weaner of claim 2, wherein the first mentioned and saidsecond electrical conductors are embedded in the body to facilitate thecleaning of the body andto prevent the conductors from becoming broken.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

